Vibratory surgical instruments



Aug 9, 1955 A. VANG 2,714,890

VIBRATORY SURGICAL INSTRUMENTS Original Filed July 1, 1948 F fi CONTROL OSC/LLATOR Q25 INVENTOR. ALFRED l A/VG United States Patent VIBRATORY SURGICAL INSTRUMENTS Alfred Vang, Carmel, Calif.

Substituted for abandoned application Serial No. 36,339, July 1, 1948. This application August 6, 1953, Serial No. 372,632

2 Claims. (Cl. 128-305) This is a substitution application for the abandoned application, Serial Number 36,339, filed July 1, 1948.

This invention relates to surgical instruments and more particularly to such instruments wherein a cutting tool may be kept in a state of vibration.

One object of the invention is to provide an instrument wherein the cutting tool may be selectively vibrated during the course of its use to improve the cutting characteristics.

Another object is to provide such an instrument which may also be vibrated at supersonic frequencies both for imparting a destroying action to the tool as when certain growths are substantially burned away by heated elements and for sterilizing the tool when it is otherwise used in a conventional manner.

While in the description the tool is generally designated as such it is to be understood that I include the vibration of surgical and dental tools used to separate portions of the body by cutting, scraping, sawing or drilling.

Much tissue, in particular, possesses very little rigidity and tends to yield in form and shape when subjected to a cutting action. However if the tool be applied quickly an incision may be made before the tissue has sufficient time to yield, due to the inertia of the latter. Thus if the cutting edge be in a state of rapid vibration the action will be of the nature of a large number of small stabs into the tissue. if the frequency of the stabs is suflicient the tissue as a whole will be substantially rigid with respect to the cutting edge. Thus the operators hands are used primarily as a guide for the tool rather than for applying the actual cutting force.

My invention for attaining the objects aforesaid may be briefly stated as a surgical instrument including handle means for mounting a free-free bar and a cutting tool secured to a vibratory portion of the latter. Means within the handle are provided for vibrating the bar and tool at high frequencies, preferably of the order of several kilocycles per second.

in the accompanying drawing showing, by way of example tWo of many possible embodiments of the invention,

Figure l is a longitudinal sectional view of the instrument.

Figure 2 is a transverse sectional view of the instrument of Figure l, the section being taken substantially along the line 22 of Figure 1 looking in the direction of the arrows of said line, and,

Figures 3 and 4 are schematic representations of means for vibrating the bar.

In detail the instrument comprises an elongated hollow cylindrical handle-like casing comprising rear and forward substantially half parts 11, 12 threaded together as at 14. The casing is provided with spaced internal annular ribs 15, 16 one on each part near the threaded ends thereof. A substantially straight elongated bar 18 in the hollow of the casing 19 has an external annular flange 17 at the nodal portion of the bar secured between said ribs, whereby it is adapted to vibrate longitudinally in the hollow of the casing as a free-free bar. A surgical cutting tool 20 such as a knife, scalpel, or drill is mounted on the forward end of the bar and projects beyond the casing. If the bar is of non-magnetic material an actuating rod 21 is provided on the rear end of the bar and an armature 2.2 on the outer end of the rod, which is actuated by a solenoid coil 24 fast on the casing and around the rod and associated with the armature. If the bar is of magnetic material and near the solenoid the end of the bar may serve as an armature.

A push button 25 on the forward part of the casing, and wires 26, 28 from the rear portion of the casing and disposed thereon connected to the button, serve as control means for governing a flow of current from a suitable supply through the leads 29, 30 to the coil. The leads 29, 30 may be protected by a cover strip 27 having a channel or raceway 33.

While other means such as an ordinary oscillator, may be used to energize the coil, condenser discharge is preferred for I have found, as indicated in my Patent No. 2,432,218, December 9, 1947, that a unidirectional pulsating or peaked current is more efiicient for vibrating a free-free bar.

Thus as shown in Figure 3 current from a supply S is used to charge a condenser 31. The condenser is discharged periodically through the coil 24 by the ionization of a mercury arc switch 32 such as described in my Patent No. 2,287,541. The frequency of discharge is preferably the natural frequency of the bar or a lower harmonic thereof. The frequency is predetermined by known means such as an ionization control 34 selectively set in operation by the push button 25.

If the frequency of discharge is to exceed the deionization frequency of mercury the arc tube 32 may be replaced by a thermionic triode 35 having an oscillator circuit 36. The oscillator is in turn set in operation by closing the push button switch 25.

The instrument or tool may be used selectively either in a vibratory or non-vibratory state. The frequency of vibration is dependent on the size, shape and weight of the bar and may be for example of the order of 6000 to 12,000 C. P. S. though lower and higher frequencies may be used. At such frequency the substance being cut is substantially out of contact with the tool except at the very instant of cutting.

By raising the frequency into the supersonic range the tool may be sterilized since it is known that many harmful germs are killed when subjected to supersonic vibration. Thus in the course of an operation if it has been suspected that the tool has been contaminated, the instrument may be withdrawn from use, and a higher harmonic be produced by the oscillator, to kill any germ present. Especially when objectionable growths are being removed the tool may be kept in supersonic vibration while it is being used.

It is to be understood that the nodal portion of the bar is the nodal portion of the bar and tool along with the armature and rod 21 if a separate armature is used.

The invention claimed is:

1. In combination, an elongated hollow cylindrical handle-like casing comprising rear and forward substantially half parts threaded together, said casing being provided with spaced internal annular ribs, one on each part near the threaded ends thereof, a free-free bar having an external annular flange at the nodal portion thereof secured between said ribs, the bar being adapted to vibrate in the hollow of the casing as a free-free bar, a surgical cutting tool on the forward end of the bar and projecting beyond the casing, an actuating rod on the rear end of the bar and an armature on the outer end of the rod, a solenoid coil around the rod and associated with the armature, a push button on the forward part of the casing, wires from the rear end portion of the casing and disposed thereon connected to the button, and cover means having a raceway therein for the wires and secured to the outer face of the casing, means controlled by said button for supplying current to said coil and comprising a condenser,

and means for periodically discharging the condenser through the coil at a frequency resonant with the frequency of the bar.

2. In combination, an elongated hollow cylindrical handle-like casing comprising rear and forward substantially half parts threaded together, said casing being provided with spaced internal annular ribs, one on each part near the threaded ends thereof, a free-free bar having an external annular flange at the nodal portion thereof secured between said ribs, the bar being adapted to vibrate in the hollow of the casing as a free-free bar, a surgical cutting tool on the forward end of the bar and projecting beyond the casing, an actuating rod on the rear end of the bar and an armature on the outer end of the rod, a solenoid coil around the rod and associated with the armature, a push button on the forward part of the casing, wires from the rear end portion of the casing and disposed thereon connected to the button, and cover means having a raceway therein for the wires and secured to the outer face of the casing.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 158,830 Buterworth Jan. 19, 1875 1,675,805 Holcomb July 3, 1928 1,966,446 Hayes July 17, 1934 FOREIGN PATENTS 871,058 France Mar. 25, 1941 

